This invention relates to a unique method and apparatus for exchanging calender rollers for a calendering apparatus. The calendering apparatus is particularly suitable for forming tire components of predetermined cross sections.
Historically, the pneumatic tire has been fabricated as a laminate structure of generally toroidal shape having beads, a tread, belt reinforcement and a carcass. The tire is made of rubber, fabric, and steel. The manufacturing technologies employed for the most part involve assembling the many tire components from flat strips or sheets of material. Each component is placed on a building drum and cut to length such that the ends of a component meet or overlap creating a splice.
These flat strips of elastomeric material could either be formed using an extruder or a profiled calender. In either case, the component would be formed having a predetermined cross-section.
If the cross-sectional shape of the component was changed for use in a different type or size tire a different profiled calender roller is required.
Conventional calender rollers are precisely supported on large fixed frames. These rollers generally have shafts inserted into heavy bearing assemblies, the bearing being assemblies bolted to these frames. Calender roller changeover conventionally can take several hours. This is normally not a major concern in that the need to change rollers in the past has been usually limited to damage or wear.
The present invention, however, is employed in such a novel way that the calender rollers must be frequently changed to accommodate different shapes, sizes and locations of forming a tire component. To make an apparatus capable of quick roller changeover was a requirement. The apparatus and method described herein takes a few minutes as opposed to hours to exchange rollers.